Downloads for AutoCAD

These downloads have proven to be absolute time-savers for my customers. Please Note – AutoCAD LT Users: The files that will work with LT are DynaDoor, DynaPower, & DynaLabel (those go on your tool palette) and the CTG Template file. The other files are LSP files which cannot be used in LT.

What To Do With These Files

Download and unzip each of these files into a ..\CAD Stuff folder you have made for these files.

In AutoCAD, go to Tools/Load Application. [Alias = AP]

Click the suitcase icon at the bottom to open the Startup Suite dialog box.

Click Add, then navigate to the .lsp files in the ..\CAD Stuff folder.

Select the files (you can select each of them if you hold down Ctrl).

After you have selected them, click the Add button to return to the Startup Suite dialog where you will see them listed.

Click Close, then close out of the Load Application dialog box.

To make them work, you will need to close and relaunch AutoCAD.

NOTE: With the exception of TrainerGuy.LSP, all .LSP files are launched by entering their name at the Command: line.

ZIP File Contents

TRAINERGUY.LSP – This is a compilation of several one-line Lisp routines that I had in my newsletter, ‘The AutoCAD Toolbelt’ many years ago. To see them all, open TrainerGuy.lsp in Notepad. Enter the one or two characters that appear after the “Defun C:” text to launch the associated routine.

Here are some of the highlights.

TV – Use this routine to tile the open drawings vertically.

DE – Use this to launch the Dist command with the Endpoint osnap for each pick.

UA – This routine will bring the selected line to horizontal in the drawing window along with the rest of the drawing. Works great when you want to work in a room at an odd angle but bring it square so you don’t have to keep turning your head. You can then work on the drawing with Ortho on, too.

UW – This one puts the UCS back to World and takes the drawing with it.

TOTLEN.LSP – As in “total length”. Select the lines, arcs, or polylines you would like to add up, then press Enter. A dialog box displays the distance in Architectural as well as Decimal units. Very handy.

ATTSTRIP.VLX – Fabulous feature for those of you using CAP Designer. This command strips the attributes of the seleced attributed blocks, but retains the integrity of the block itself. This is great if you have to provide a drawing to the customer or an architect and would rather not pass along the product information. The .VLX extension means it is a compiled Lisp routine that was created using Visual Lisp and should be treated the exact same way as a .LSP. [Found at www.dotsoft.com].

DLINE.LSP – This double line generator was introduced on the R11 Bonus CD (does anyone still have that??), was included in R12, then was mysteriously dropped when Mline came on the scene in R13. AutoCAD LT has had the Dline routine as a staple for years.

There are three key features:

Width – This sets the distance between the parallel lines.

Dragline. Think ‘justification’; Right, Center, or Left based upon the direction you are going.

Offset. This enables you to offset the Start point of a new Dline (it’s not the Offset command).

You get 3 prompts:

‘Offset From’. Pick a point.

‘Offset Toward.’ Turn on Ortho (if it isn’t already) and pick a point in the direction where the start point for the new dline will be placed relative to the offset point.

‘Distance.’ Now you can enter how far the start point is for the new dline from the offset point in the direction specified.

NUMBERS2017.ZIP – The three auto-numbering routines are in here: Wsnum2.lsp, Objno.lsp, and Prefix2.lsp. For an explanation on what they do, read on. If you want the individual lisp routines, they are in the [brackets] after their explanation.

MAJOR MEMO – Many of you already have these numbering routines and use them daily. Please note that the WSNUM2.LSP and PREFIX3.LSP [contained in the download, NUMBERS2017.ZIP] have now been updated – thanks to my great friend Ben Senior in Germany – to allow for the entry of an increment, i.e., KEY-200, KEY-202, KEY-204, etc.

Since each of them are launched with their original command (WSNUM or PREFIX), after downloading and installing per the directions above, delete the old WSNUM.LSP and PREFIX.LSP files so they don’t conflict with these new ones.

Setup for the Numbering Routines and What They Do

Each one of the numbering routines creates Dtext, not Mtext.

The numbers are created on the current layer in the current text style so set those up first.

BIG NOTE ABOUT THESE NUMBERING ROUTINES…Be sure the current Text Style’s Height is set to 0 before running any of these three routines.

OBJNO.LSP – Simple numbering. Enter the starting number and the text height and you’re off.

PREFIX3.LSP – [Launch with PREFIX] Enter a prefix, the starting number, the increment, then the text height. The prefix hugs right up to the number ala WS101, WS102 or KEY-60, KEY-61, etc.

WSNUM2.LSP – [Launch with WSNUM] Similar to Prefix, but this one puts a space between the prefix and the sequential number, FR 355, FR 356, etc. When prompted “Increment numbers by ?” enter the desired increment. You can also specify the height using decimals. (Thanks, Ben!)

Seminar Sample Drawings

AWB_3DWorkstation – This is the drawing of the 3D Workstation that is referenced in the exercises in the 1st Edition of my book, ‘The AutoCAD Workbench’, Chapter Six: 3D Stuff.

DDN_3DDims – This is the seminar handout, the original AutoCAD drawing (originally exported from Z-Axis), as well as the finished drawing that was used in the Dealer Design Network webinar [January 2013].

Dynamic Blocks

DYNADOOR.DWG – This dynamic door block is created with five sizes – 24″, 30″, 36″, 42″, & 48″ – and also has a flip parameter. For several years I included the process for creating this block in my training workbooks, but it just got a bit too difficult to keep everyone on the same page, especially in a setting of varied levels of expertise. Also included in the Dynadoor.zip file is a PDF of the procedures, just in case you would like to see how it was made.

NOTE: After unzipping the file, open DynaDoor.DWG (don’t Insert it). If you want to put it on a palette, open your block source file, then drag the DynaDoor block into your block source. Save your block source drawing, then drag the DynaDoor onto your palette.

DYNALABEL.DWG – This dynamic label block is intended for use in Paper space; the line can be stretched to accommodate the length of the text. Take a look at Michael’s Corner for May 2009 for a review on how to make your own dynamic block that incorporates a Move and Stretch parameter.

NOTE: After unzipping the file, open DynaLabel.DWG (don’t Insert it). If you want to put it on a palette, open your block source file, then drag the DynaLabel block into your block source. Save your block source drawing, then drag the DynaLabel onto your palette.

DYNAPOWER.DWG – This dynamic block has four visibility parameters: Duplex receptacle, Quad receptacle, Datacomm, and Single pole light switch. This block also has an alignment parameter at the insertion point which causes the block to align to the line it is being placed on, such as a wall.

NOTE: After unzipping the file, open DynaPower.DWG (don’t Insert it). If you want to put it on a palette, open your block source file, then drag the DynaPower block into your block source. Save your block source drawing, then drag the DynaPower block onto your palette.

Selections From Michael’s Tool Palette

Over the last several years I have been asked to post my tool palette contents to my website, so when I got that same request for the umpteenth time (this time from my buddy Max at Herman Miller), I figured I better put it up here.

FIRST … Copy the CTG_XTPandDWG.ZIP file to your system, unzip it (it contains the XTP and DWG for the tool palette), then follow these instructions …

What To Do With These Files

Copy CTG_BlockSource.DWG to a permanent place on your computer or network. The path will be automatically associated with the blocks when you drag them onto the palette, so put it someplace where you won’t be inclined to move it.

Copy CTG_Palette.XTP to the same folder where you are putting the CTG_BlockSource.DWG, just to make it easy to remember.

In AutoCAD, open the Tool Palette [Ctrl + 3], then right-click on the title bar and click Customize Palettes.

On the left side, right-click anywhere in the list, then click Import.

Navigate to where you copied the CTG_Palette.XTP in step 2, above, and Open it.

Now open CTG_BlockSource.DWG.

Click, breathe, drag n’ drop each block – one at a time – onto the palette.

NOTES on the Blocks:

Leader Block: After you put it on the palette, right-click >Properties and set the Explode value to “Yes”.

DynaDoor Block: After you put it on the palette, right-click >Properties and set the Prompt for Rotation to “Yes”.

DynaPower Block: This one is OK, as is, and has been updated to include a Quad receptacle [Decemer 2012].

DynaLabel Block: It’s the very small white thing to the right of Dyna_Power. It is intended to be inserted into a layout (Paper space), not in Model space.

Michael’s Sample Template

CTGTemplate.dwt – This is my template in case you don’t have one and didn’t want to start from scratch. I would create a ..\Template folder under the folder for your version of AutoCAD, then put this in that ..\Template folder. See Michael’s Corner from February 2004.

Sherwin-Williams Color Collection

The Sherwin-Williams Color Book for AutoCAD

A couple years ago at NeoCon, the folks at the Sherwin-Williams booth told me about their downloadable color book for AutoCAD. The zip file contains Sherwin_Williams_Colors.acb.

Unzip S_W_COLORS.ZIP and put the .ACB file in the ..\Support\Color folder of your particular version of AutoCAD.

The next time you launch AutoCAD and set a color, you can choose Sherwin Williams colors from the Color Books tab!

Sherwin-Williams Color Collection

Architectural Fonts

CADTutor Files

The AutoCAD Workbench, Final Edition [Now Shipping!]

Fourteen years in the making, The AutoCAD Workbench, Final Edition is a collection of 340+ ‘How-To’ exercises, over 160 Gold Star tips, and topical insights with hundreds of figures and illustrations designed to make you more productive with AutoCAD. Easy-to-follow steps give you practical examples to guide you through a broad array of commands and applications.

“If you’ve experienced a training session with Michael, you know how invaluable his lessons are. If not, his books are the next best thing! Easy-to-follow, easy-to-use and not dumbed down in a way that makes you feel like you aren’t ‘getting’ it. I love Michael’s style and love his books! A definite ‘must -have’ for either the novice or veteran CAD user.”
Victoria B. – Senior Project Designer

BOOK + PDF [US$ 95.00]Best Value!

PDF for 1-7 AutoCAD Users [US$ 44.95]

Put the PDF on the company server! For large companies with more than 8 AutoCAD users, here’s a single Group Rate for the PDF [US$ 325.00]

PDF for 8 or more AutoCAD users

MEMO: Once I receive the PayPal notice, I’ll email you the PDF.

A Bit About the Author: Michael E. Beall

Michael E. Beall is the owner of CAD Trainer Guy, LLC in Shelbyville, KY. Mr. Beall provides customized, hands-on, application-specific training on all versions of Autodesk® AutoCAD® and AutoCAD LT® products, Autodesk Revit® Fundamentals, CAP Designer, 20-20 Worksheet, and Visual Impression. All seminars can be presented either on-site or as a webinar.

Michael has been presenting CAD seminars to the A&D community, facility departments and the contract furniture industry since 1982 and on AutoCAD since 1990. A popular speaker, Michael has presented at numerous trade shows, and for several years at Autodesk University. At AU
2013, he won the coveted ‘Speaker Award’ for his Hands‐On Lab, ‘Click My Ride: Customizing AutoCAD for How You Work’. All the content from his AU sessions are in the Final Edition. Over the last 35 years he has trained on 6 continents, 11 countries, 41 states, and Guam.

As an Autodesk Authorized Author, he authored two volumes of Autodesk Official Training Courseware, and has authored or co-authored five titles published by New Riders Publishing, including the popular ‘Inside AutoCAD’ series.

Mr. Beall received his B.Arch from the University of Cincinnati/DAA in 1978. You will also find AutoCAD tips, and assorted productivity files over on the Downloads page.

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AutoCAD® is a registered Trademark of Autodesk Inc. Revit® and Revit LT® are registered Trademarks of Autodesk Inc. This site is not affiliated with Autodesk Inc. in any way, shape, or form. Call 502.500.2267, or email me. I look forward to hearing from you!